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What’s next for Toronto’s new WNBA team?

“The next great moment in Canadian sports history starts today.”

These remarks were uttered in a video officially announcing that Toronto will be home to the newest franchise of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

The launch was celebrated at a news conference in the city on Thursday, attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, and rap superstar Drake, who is an ambassador for city’s NBA team.

The new franchise will be the WNBA’s 14th – and the league’s first expansion outside of the US.

It is also a monumental moment for women’s sports in the country, especially considering that basketball was invented by a Canadian.

The team, which is set to begin playing in 2026, has yet to be named.

But people are already buzzing about its name and marketing, and what message the team will be sending to Canada and the world with its branding.

On social media one user suggested the Toronto Dragons, which was on the short-list of names for the Raptors.

The Toronto Aurora was floated by CBC reporter Tom Harrington, as a nod to the northern lights.

Others suggested Northstars, or Huskies – the name of a historic basketball team in Toronto that predated the Raptors and disbanded in 1947 after only one season.

Larry Tanenbaum, the Toronto businessman who was awarded city’s WNBA franchise for C$50m ($36.5m; £28.7m), told the Associated Press that the team will take its time in choosing a name, and will “solicit public input”.

For Misty Meeks, a public relations expert at NATIONAL, a Canada-based marketing firm, the team’s name should fit the culture of the time, but also “grow and evolve over time and continue to stay relevant”.

It should also tap into the significance of being Canada’s first WNBA team, she said.

“You’re not just launching a new team, but you’re rather opening up the playing field for women’s sports in Canada, and that’s a huge endeavour,” Ms Meeks told the BBC.

“It’s about standing for something far more than just a team.”


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